Annual Retention Fee

The Annual Retention Fee (ARF) is the fee all registered dentists and dental care professionals must pay each year to remain on the dentists register or dental care professionals register.

If you have not yet registered, you will pay a pro rata fee.

When do I pay the ARF?

The deadline for all dental care professionals to pay is 31 July each year, while the deadline for all dentists to pay is 31 December each year. You will receive a letter ahead of the deadline with information about how you can make the payment.

How can I pay?

You can pay your ARF by:

How much is the ARF?

The fee for dentists is £680 and must be paid by 31 December.

Dentists

Retention period	Amount	Due date
1 Jan - 31 Dec	£680	31 Dec

The fee for maintaining entry on our specialist lists is £72 per specialty and must be paid by 31 December.

Specialists (per speciality)

Retention period	Amount	Due date
1 Jan - 31 Dec	£72	31 Dec

The fee for dental care professionals is £114 and must be paid by 31 July.

Dental care professionals

Retention period	Amount	Due date
1 Aug - 31 Jul	£114	31 Jul

When will I receive my annual practising certificate?

We will send you your annual practising certificate to your registered address. If you have not received your certificate six weeks after your payment has been processed then please call 020 7167 6000 or contact us here. You can also download your certificate by logging on to your eGDC account.

FAQs

Collection

When is the ARF collected?

Annual payments of the DCP ARF must be paid on or before 31 July each year. For dentists, this is on or before 31 December each year. Registrants now have the option to pay the ARF by quarterly instalments. Please visit the pay by instalments Direct Debit page for details, including payment dates, for this option.

Each year we notify registrants in writing before their Annual Renewal is due. To fully complete your Annual Renewal you need to pay your ARF, declare your indemnity and make a CPD statement.

I have not received my Annual Renewal notice and want to pay my fee. What do I do?

If you have not received your Annual Renewal notice at least four weeks before the annual retention fee is due please call us on 020 7167 6000. The helpline is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

The fee for Dental Care Professionals must be paid on or before 31 July each year, and on or before 31 December for Dentists. If you have not received your notice you can pay via debit or credit card via your eGDC account.

If you have changed your registered address and you have not notified us you may not receive your Annual Renewal notice. Please check your details on the online register or on the ‘Contact Details’ page of your eGDC account.

How can I pay my ARF during the collection period?

When it is time to pay your ARF you will be able to make payment using one of the following methods:

Online

You can make payment by credit or debit card online via your eGDC account. If you do not have an eGDC account, you will need to set one up. Please note, we do not accept American Express or Diners Club International.

By Post

Cheques should be made payable to 'General Dental Council' and posted to the below address:

Renewal Team
General Dental Council
1 Colmore Square
Birmingham
B4 6AJ

Please ensure that you write your name and registration number on the back of the cheque. A freepost envelope will be included with your Annual Renewal notice for you to send it to us. Please do not write on the freepost envelope, this may mean we do not receive your renewal.

Can I pay by BACs?

We regret that we cannot accept payment by BACs.

What will happen if I am late with my payment?

It is your responsibility to pay your fee on time. If you miss the payment deadline your name may be removed from the register. If you are not registered you will not be able to practise in the UK. A list of those people who have been removed from the register for non-payment will be circulated to the NHS to enable them to keep their records up to date.

If you are removed from the register and wish to resume practise in the UK, you must first restore your name to the register.

Please be aware that it is illegal for an unregistered dentist or dental care professional to practise dentistry in the UK. You must therefore not practise until your name has been restored to the register.

Will you send me a receipt for my payment?

The GDC will email you a confirmation once you have completed both parts of your Annual Renewal.

You can also access copies of your receipts on your eGDC account, under the 'Manage Payments' section. Receipts will be available on your eGDC account two working days after payment has been completed.

I'm a dental technician and don't work directly with patients so why do I need to pay?

Every team member has a responsibility to the patient who is being treated. For example a dental technician produces appliances which can directly affect the well-being of that patient – even if they never meet face-to-face. They also have responsibilities to other dental team members to ensure patients interests are put first.

How can I submit a complaint about the ARF collection?

We have worked hard to improve the renewal process and hope that you will find it efficient and error free. However, should you have a complaint or comment we would like to hear from you, as it will allow us to improve the renewal process further.

Annual Practising Certificate

Where will you send the Annual Renewal notice and annual practising certificate?

We send all Annual Renewal related postal correspondence, including the notice and the annual practising certificate to your registered address. Therefore please ensure that your registered details are up to date by checking the GDC’s on-line registers.

You can update your details using your eGDC account.

I've paid my ARF, why haven't I received my Annual Practising Certificate?

You will not receive your annual practising certificate if you haven’t declared your indemnity. Even if you have paid your ARF, you must also state you have indemnity in place, or will have when you begin practising.

Indemnity

What is Indemnity and do I need it?

All registrants are required to have the appropriate indemnity insurance in order to practise in the UK. Registrants renewing their registration through the Annual Renewal process will have to confirm that they have indemnity cover in place, or will have when they start to practise. If you fail to do so, you will not be able to renew your registration.

Visit our indemnity page for more information.

Do I have to declare my indemnity as part of my Annual Renewal?

Yes, to fully complete your Annual Renewal you must pay your ARF and declare your Indemnity.

Visit our indemnity page for more information.

Reductions

I don’t intend to practise for the whole year. Do you have a reduced rate fee to cover this?

No, the ARF is not a membership fee; it confirms your registration for the full period it relates to. It is payable by all dental professionals who are on our registers on the renewal date in order to maintain their registration with the GDC. The level of the ARF is determined by how much it costs to regulate each registrant group as opposed to an individuals income or employment situation.

I intend to retire or leave the register at the end of the renewal period and do not wish to pay my retention fee – what do I do?

You have a choice about how and when your name is removed:

During the Annual Renewal period you can remove your name by logging into your eGDC account where you will have the option of selecting 'Do not Renew' under the 'Manage Payments' section. We will record the reason for removal as 'Voluntary removal'. We will then write to you to confirm that you are no longer registered or:
You can choose not to pay your fee at the end of the Annual Renewal year and we will remove your name, recording the reason for removal as 'Non-payment'.
During the rest of the year you can contact the registration operations team by email and we will send you the appropriate paperwork.

If you do not intend to retire completely then please remember that:

Once you are removed from the register your name will be circulated to the NHS;

If you wish to resume practice in the UK, you must first apply to restore your name to the register.

I only work part time – is there a reduced fee?

No. As a registrant there is no reduction if you work part-time or take a period of leave from the profession for any reason.

I am on maternity leave – is there a reduced fee?

As a registrant there is no reduction if you take a period of leave from the profession for any reason. This is because the current legislation states that the fee is for making the entry of your name on the register, rather than for the fact of being registered. This is why it is not apportioned nor is any part of the fee refunded if a person comes off the Register during the year. Similarly fees on renewal are not treated on a pro rata basis and unfortunately there is no provision in the existing legislation for the refund or reduction of fees in these circumstances.

Can I request a refund if my circumstances have changed and I wish to leave the register at some point during the year?

No, we are unfortunately unable to issue any refunds once the payment deadline has passed, or a proportion of it, if you choose to remove your name from the register part way through the year.